Silicon metal (also known as industrial silicon) is a basic raw material extracted from quartz using the carbothermal reduction method. Its main component, silicon, typically contains 95% to 99.9%+ purity. AON METALS offers metallic silicon products in various forms, including lumps, granules, and powders, covering grades from 97#, 553, 441, 3303, 2202 to higher purity series to meet the stringent requirements of various industries such as photovoltaics, organosilicon, refractory materials, and special alloys.

Core Forms and Corresponding Applications:

Lumps (10-100mm): Primarily used as an alloying additive in aluminum alloys and special steels, or for smelting high-purity silicon.

Granules (1-10mm): Widely used in directional solidification for preparing polycrystalline silicon ingots, or as aggregate in refractory materials and ceramics.

Powder (40-500 mesh): It is the core raw material for the synthesis of organosilicon (such as silane coupling agents, silicone oil, silicone rubber), and is also used in powder metallurgy, welding materials, chemical catalysts and other fields.

Silicon Metal Powder

chemical composition

Grade	Chemical composition					Typical Application Areas and Key Requirements
	Si ≥	Fe ≤	Al ≤	Ca ≤	P (ppm) ≤
97#	97.0	1.5	0.5	0.3	-	Low-end aluminum alloys, steelmaking deoxidizers: Cost priority, high tolerance for impurities.
553	98.5	0.5	0.5	0.3	-	General-purpose aluminum alloys, chemical industry: The most common grades, balancing cost and purity.
441	99.0	0.4	0.4	0.1	-	Organosilicon monomer synthesis, high-quality aluminum alloys: Higher calcium content is required to facilitate catalytic reactions.
421	99.2	0.4	0.2	0.1	-	High-end organosilicon, electronic-grade silicon raw materials: Lower aluminum content to reduce catalyst poisoning.
411	99.2	0.4	0.1	0.1	-	Same as above, with stricter aluminum control.
3303	99.3	0.3	0.3	0.03	≤50	Photovoltaic-grade polycrystalline silicon raw materials, high-end special steel: Strict control of calcium and phosphorus to avoid affecting solar cell efficiency.
2502	99.5	0.25	0.25	0.02	≤40	High-purity photovoltaic, semiconductor raw materials: Higher purity, used for the Czochralski or zone melting methods to prepare monocrystalline silicon.
2202	99.5	0.2	0.2	0.02	≤40	Same as above, with even more stringent control over iron and aluminum.

Key Impurity Impacts:

Aluminum (Al): In organosilicon synthesis, aluminum poisons copper catalysts; in photovoltaic-grade silicon, aluminum affects minority carrier lifetime.

Calcium (Ca): In organosilicon fluidized bed reactions, calcium readily forms deposits; in metallurgy, calcium affects alloy properties.

Phosphorus (P) and Boron (B): These are donor/acceptor impurities that must be strictly controlled for photovoltaic and semiconductor-grade silicon.

Silicon metal powder processing：

Crushing: Crush the selected ore into particle sizes suitable for further processing.

Screening: Screen the crushed stones to separate particles of different sizes for further crushing and processing. The screening process can use a screening machine to carry out screening and classify particles according to prescribed standards to achieve the expected quality requirements.

Crushing: Particles of different sizes are fed into the crusher for crushing. There are many types of pulverizers to choose from, such as ball mills, Raymond mills, and ring roller mills, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. Factors such as processing temperature and humidity need to be strictly controlled during the crushing process to ensure that the powder quality meets the expected requirements.

Drying: In order to ensure the dryness of the silicon powder, it needs to be dried. The drying process requires controlling parameters such as temperature and time to achieve the appropriate degree of drying.

Packaging: The dried silica powder can be packaged and stored. Packaging materials generally take the form of plastic bags, cardboard boxes, iron drums, etc. During the packaging process, attention must be paid to sealing and moisture-proof measures to ensure product quality.

silicon metal Powder

About the use of silicon metal powder：

Refractory and Powder Metallurgy Industries:

Silicon Metal Powder improves products' high-temperature resistance, wear resistance, and oxidation resistance, and is widely used in steelmaking furnaces, kilns, and kiln furniture.

Organic Silicone Chemical Industry:

Silicon Metal Powder serves as a basic raw material for the synthesis of organic silicon polymers and is used in the production of silicone monomers, silicone oils, silicone rubber preservatives, and other products. It improves products' high-temperature resistance, electrical insulation, corrosion resistance, and water resistance.

Electronics Industry:

Silicon Metal Powder is drawn into single crystal silicon, and the resulting silicon wafers are essential raw materials for integrated circuits and electronic components.

Metallurgical Casting Industry:

As an additive for non-ferrous alloys and silicon steel alloys, it improves the hardenability of steel. It can also be used as a reducing agent for certain metals and in new ceramic alloys.

silicon metal powder 200mesh

FAQ

Q1: What do the numbers in silicon metal grades (such as 441, 3303) mean?

A1: These are industry-standard abbreviations, typically representing the upper limits of the typical content of the three main impurities: iron (Fe), aluminum (Al), and calcium (Ca) in the product. For example:

441: Represents Fe ≤ 0.4%, Al ≤ 0.4%, Ca ≤ 0.1%.

3303: Represents Fe ≤ 0.3%, Al ≤ 0.3%, Ca ≤ 0.03%.

The smaller the number, the higher the purity and the higher the price.

Q2: Are there any special requirements for silicon metal powder in organosilicon synthesis?

A2: Besides chemical composition (commonly 441/421), organosilicon synthesis places extremely high demands on powder properties:

size distribution: It needs to be concentrated between 40-200 mesh. Powders that are too fine (<200 mesh) will reduce the reaction rate and selectivity, while particles that are too coarse (>40 mesh) will result in incomplete reaction.

Particle morphology: More defects and microcracks on the particle surface are desirable to increase reactivity.

Oxygen content: The surface oxide layer affects the initial reaction. Therefore, moisture protection during packaging and storage is crucial.

Our powder products strictly control these indicators and provide size testing reports.

Q3: How do you guarantee the stability of the silicon metal composition between different batches?

A3: Stability is our core concern. We ensure this through the following measures:

Source control: Long-term agreements with stable mines and reducing agent suppliers ensure minimal fluctuations in raw material quality.

Homogeneity management: The smelted silicon ingots undergo preliminary homogenization before crushing. During the crushing and grinding process, batch management and multi-point, multi-depth sampling strategies are employed.

Full inspection before shipment: Each batch of product undergoes a chemical composition and particle size re-inspection before leaving the factory, and a material certificate is provided with the shipment.

Q4: How to safely store silicon metal powder?

A4: Silicon metal powder may produce hydrogen gas in a confined space (especially after exposure to moisture), and is a flammable substance. Please note:

Moisture protection: Store in a dry, well-ventilated warehouse, keeping the packaging intact.

Keep away from fire sources: Avoid open flames, welding, and other similar operations.

First-in, first-out (FIFO): Minimize inventory time and avoid long-term storage.

Our packaging complies with international sea/air transport requirements for dangerous goods and provides corresponding Safety Data Sheets (MSDS).

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